Bookkeeping device



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A. EFRON BOOKKEEPING DEVICE Filed Oct. 22, 1957 Oct.25, 1938.

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INVENTOR ALEXANDER E FRoN ATToYRA EY5 Oct. 25, 1938. A. EFRON 2,134,112

BOOKKEEPING DEVICE Filed OCt. 22, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lo oEPoslTon'sNAME APPEARS 0N omen SIDE Il' 33 :DATE cuzcks H DEPosI-r DA1; uuu:

INVENTOR ALEXANDER E FRo/v BY l *y MM5 ATTORN YS Patented Oct. 25, 19382,134,112 BOOKKEEPIN G DEVICE Alexander Ei'ron,

Checkmaster Plan, Inc., Acorporation o1' New York New York, N. Y.,assignor to New York, N. Y., a

Application October 22, 1937, Serial No. 170,328

15 Claims.

My present invention relates generally to bookkeeping, and has proveddevice to with.

particular reference to an imbe used in association there- My inventionhas applicability to any situation in which a concern has a number ofcontinuing transactions with customers, involving debit or creditentries, or both, on individual ledger pages, based on vouchers whichare ultima the respective customers,

of account.

or related to lcorresponding tely to be submitted to along withstatements The relationship between a department store and its customersis a typical example. The transactions be tween a bank and its checkingaccounts is another example.

Merely by way of example, for the purpose of explaining the generalnature of my invention, I have illustrated and shall hereinafterdescribe my device as it applies to the a bank and count; but it will beunders is of wider applicability.

relationships between a customer having a checking actood that theinvention The bookkeeping steps which are involved between a bank and achecking account customer require, rst, the opening of a ledger page orcard for the particular customer.

As checks are drawn by the customer and ultimately presented to the bankfor payment, debit entries are made on the ledger page. As and whenmade, corresponding credit entries must be made. Periodically, it iscustomary and desirable to deliver to the customer a statement of hisaccount, showing the transactions over a given period and showing theresultant balance in his account. At the same time, it is desirable thatthere be returned to the customer the cancelled checks or other vouchersupon which the credits have been based. Usually,

debits and/or it is preferable to provide for this rendition of accountand the return of vouchers through the mail.

Without describing in' de cedures which are now re tail the particularprosorted to by custom, I

will state briefly that a series of operations are isually necessary andtime in the sheet, on the statement of which involve considerable labormaking of entries on the ledger account which is ultimately to befurnished to. the customer, in the retention and sorting of sembly ofaccumulated vouchers vouchers, in the aswith the ultimate statement, andin the ultimate mailing procedure.

It is a general object of my present invention to provide a device forsimplifying this entire procedure and for facilitating the necessarywork in a manner which increas es emciency, minimizes deposits are thelikelihood of error, labor.

and saves both time and One of the characterizing features of my invenltion lies in the whereby only a single posting o tion is required.

tirely new, but in the voucher upon which each provision of anarrangement f each transac- This step is, by itself, not enaccordancewith my invention posted entry is based is physically retained in directassociation with the ledger page and the statement oi' account at thetimevof the posting operation. Moreover, the ultimate assembly of th eunit to be sent to the customer (consisting of the statement of accountand the accumulated vouchers appertaining to the entries thereon),together with the ultimate mailing of this unit to simplified to anunusually elcient degree.

the customer, is

Moreover, my invention is characterized by the employment of a pair ofseparably associated, su-

perposed sheets with a means sandwiched between separable duplicatingthem, together with a pocket adapted to accommodate vouchers. The uppersheet constitutes a ledger page, and the under sheet constitutes astatement of account,

whereby entries made mediately duplicated count; and the pocket ofaccount and accommodates th upon the s on the ledger page are imtatementof acis carried by the statement e vouchers upon which such entries arebased. As a result, the

ultimate removal of the ledger page and the duplicating meansautomatically leaves an assembly consisting only of the statement ofaccount and the Vouchers appertaining to the entries thereon. Thisdevice is further ized by the fact that the statement is physicallylarge enough to enfold and the accommodated vouchers,

characterof account the pocket thereby facilitating the formation of theultimate mailing unit.

n accordance with my invention,

means are PTO- vided for permitting this assembly to serve as aself-suiiicient mailable unit, requiring no extraneous envelope orcontainer.

I achieve the foregoing objects, and such other objects as mayhereinafter appear or be pointed out, in the manner illustrativelyexemplied in 4 the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a planView showing one side of a blank from which the present device isformed;

Figure 2 is a plan View Figure 3 is a fully assembled;

showing the other side; plan View of the present device,

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially'alongthe li ure 3;

ne 4-4 of Fig- Figure 5 is a perspective view of the device of Figure 3,viewed from the rear;

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken .substantially alongthe line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 'I is a view of the device after the ledger page and duplicatingmeans have been removed therefrom;

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the rst step in transforming theassembly of Figure 7 into a mailable unit;

Figure 9 is a perspective view ofthe mailable unit, from the rear; and

Figure 10 is a perspective view ofthe obverse side of the unit of Figure9.

In the illustrated embodiment, an elongated, substantially rectangularblank of paper or suitable equivalent material is first provided withthe transverse score line I0 forming the flap portion Il which isadapted to be folded down along the score line III onto the medialportion I2. At the lateral edges of the portion I2, relatively near thescore line III, are the sealing flaps I3 which are normally folded overonto the portion I2 along the fold lines I4.

Below the portion I2 the blank is divided by a fold line I5 into the twoportions I6 and I1, the portion I6 carrying a lateral sealing flap I8and the portion I1 having an oblique cutaway lateral edge I8.

On the portion I2, suitable indicia are` arranged to constitute astatement of account. I have Illustratively shown a series of verticalcolumns on which successive entries may be made' relating to the date ofa transaction, the amount of a draft or deposit, the amount of the bankfee or commission, if any, the resultant balance, etc.

0n the reverse side of the portion II I provide similar indicia toconstitute a ledger page or record. These indicia, designated by thereference numeral 20, are so positioned that when the portion II isfolded down over the portion I2, as shown in Figure 3, the indicia 20will be accurately superposed on the corresponding indicia on thestatement of account, designated generally by the reference numeral 2|.

The reverse side of the statement of account I2, in the region betweenthe sealing flaps I3, is ultimately to constitute the obverse face of"amailing unit; and with this objective in view, the name and address ofthe bank (or other concern) is preferably in the region designated bythe reference numeral 22; and in the region 2l a space is reserved forpermitting the bank (or other concern) ultimately to type in the nameand address of the customer.

The blank of Figures 1 and 2 is preferably constructed in one piece, asshown, and it will be observed that its manufacture and production are arelatively simplematter, it being understood that the indicia 20 and 2iand such other material as may be desirable, are preferably placedthereon by printing.

In assembling the device, preparatory to its employment in thebookkeeping system, the blank Is folded along the score line I0 toposition the portion II directly over the portion I2, as shown in Figure3. Between these sheets, a duplicating means 24 is inserted, preferablyin the form of a conventional piece of carbon paper. The sheet 24 isheld in separable sandwiched relation by the turned-in flaps I3 and by aspecial releasable means 25 which is preferably in the form of aremovable wire staple. This staple extends through the ledger page,through the duplicating means 24, and through the statement ofv accountI2, thereby serving also to hold the ledger page in proper superposedrelation.

In the meantime, the portion I1 will have been folded back, along theline I5, so as to underlie the portion I5. The staple 25 extends alsothrough the edge portion 28. The sealing flap IB is folded down andsecured in position by adhesive or the like, to hold the portions I6 andI1 in superposed relation. This produces a pocket having the front wallI6 and the rear wall I1, the pocket being closed at one edge by the foldline I5, at one end edge by the sealing ilap I8, and at the oppositelongitudinal edge by the temporary fastening means 25. The pocket isopen at the end portion defined by the oblique edge I9.

This pocket may be said to be carried by the statement of account I2and, in the preferred construction herein illustrated, the pocket is anintegral portion of the statement of account since the front wall IG isan integral extension of the statement of account I2. It will also beobserved that, in the illustrated construction, the pocket is carried atthe bottom of the statement of account in a sort of suspendedrelationship.

The device is now ready for use, and the bookkeeping device is used asfollows:

As soon as an account is opened with a customer, his name and addressare typed oristenciled into the region 23 and also into the region 21 onthe ledger page.

As and when any transaction takes place and it becomes necessary to makean entry, the voucher appertaining to the transaction is furnished tothe person whose duty it is to make the entry. With this voucher beforehim, he thereupon enters the transaction on the ledger page, theduplicating means 24 serving automatically to mark the identical entryon the statement of account which lies beneath it. Usually, the entriesare made on a suitable typewriting machine, the entire device of Figure3 being rolled into the machine in the customary manner. Assuming, forexample, that the transaction involves a draft on a bank, by means of acheck, an entry of the character shown at 20 is made, the resultantbalance in the customer's account being immediately marked in the columndesignated Balance". The check is thereupon forthwith inserted endwiseinto the pocket, as shown most clearly in Figures 5 and 7, in which -Ihave applied the reference numeral 29 to the check. It will beunderstood, of course, that a bank check is merely a typical example ofthe type of voucher which is treated in this way.

The bookkeeping device is then laid aside, preferably being .ledalphabetically with others of similar character, until it becomes againnecessary to make a further entry, at which time the process isrepeated. At that time, the new voucher is also inserted into thepocket. Over a period of time, it is obvious that vouchers will besuccessively accumulated in the pocket, each voucher corresponding toone of the Aentries on the device. I have indicated by the referencenumeral 30 in Figures 6 and 8 a typical accumulated group of vouchers.

When the time arrives for transmitting a statement of account to thecustomer, the staple 25 or other temporary fastening means is firstwithdrawn, it being understood that this fastening means is of atemporary character to permit easy removal. The ledger page II is thensevered 'filed by the bank or other concern.

'I'his leaves an assembly of the character illustrated in Figure 7,consisting only of the statement of account and the bundle ofaccumulated vouchers appertaining to the entries thereon. The statementis then enfolded or wrapped around the pocket, with the accumulatedvouchers. One way of accomplishing this is illustrated in Figures 8 and9. The pocket is rst folded up along the fold line 3l, and then foldedagain along the line 32. The end portion 33 of the statement of accountis then folded down along the line 3Q, and finally the sealing aps i3are brought into the position of Figure 9 and secured by adhesive orother suitable means. f

The resulting unit, shown in Figure 9, is a selfsuilicient mailableunit, the statement, itself, serving as a wrapping for the pocket andthe accumulated vouchers; and the obverse side of the unit, as shown inFigure 10, being already marked with the name and address of the concernthat is placing the unit in the mail.

When the customer receives the unit and opens it he has before him astatement of his account, together with the vouchers justifying theentries on it.

Where the device is used in connection with a department store thevouchers may, for example, constitute sales checks or duplicates ofsales checks, and the entries on the statement will show the purchasesduring a given period together with the balance that is due to thestore. 'Ihe device may, obviously, be used for all sorts of similartransactions, and it will be understood that the invention is by nomeans restricted to the banking business nor to retail sales or thelike.

The advantages of the present device will be obvious to those familiarwith bookkeeping procedures of the present general type. Since thevouchers are accumulated successively in physical association with thecustomers statement of account, the tedious procedure of sorting,storing, resorting, and assimilating vouchers is completely dispensedwith, the likelihood of error being thereby reduced to an absoluteminimum. Since the entries on the statement of account are madesimultaneously with the entries on the ledger page, there is always anaccurate tally between the records kept by the bank or other concern andthe record that is sent to the customer. And by virtue of theconstruction of the present device, the procedure of delivering ormailing the ultimate unit to the customer is of an extremely eiicientand simple character.

In general, it will be understood that changes in the details, hereindescribed and illustrated for the purpose of explaining the nature of myinvention, may be made by those skilled in the art without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appendedclaims. It is, therefore, intended that these details be interpreted asillustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In a bookkeepingdevice, a pair of separably associated superposed sheets 'havingduplicating means, the upper sheet having designations for constitutinga. ledger page, the under sheet having designations for constituting astatement of account, whereby entries made on the ledger page areduplicated upon the statement of account, and a pocket carried by thestatement of account account and the pocket for the vouchersappertaining to the entries thereon.

2. In a bookkeeping device, the combination of elements set forth inclaim 1, in which said pocket is secured to the bottom of said statemento1 account transversely thereof in suspended relation thereto. y

3. In a bookkeeping device, thecombination of elements set forth inclaim l, in which said pocket length extending along the Width of thestatement of account, said statement of account being long enough towrap completely around and thereby enfold the pocket and theaccommodated vouchers.

4. In a bookkeeping device, a pair of separably associated superposedsheets, a separable duplisecuring said assembly in enfolded condition asa self-sumcient mailable unit.

5. In a bookkeeping device, the combination set forth in claim 4, saidlast-named means comthe ledger page and the statement of account.

6. In a bookkeeping device, a pair of separably associated superposedsheets, a separable duplicating means s ndwiched between them, theupbased, whereby the ledger page and duplicating means may be removedleaving an assembly consisting only of the statement of account and thepocket for the vouchers appertaining to the entries thereon, saidstatement of account being long enough to Wrap completely around andthereby enfold the pocket and the accommodated vouchers, and means forsecuring said assembly in wrapped enfolded condition as aself-suilicient mailable unit.

"l, In a bookkeeping device, the combination set forth in claim 6, saidlast-named means comprising sealing flaps carried along the upper edgesof said statement of account.

8. In a bookkeeping device. the combination of elements set forth inclaim 1, in which said ledger page and statement of account areintegrally connected along their upper edges.

9. In a bookkeeping device, the combination of elements set forth inclaim 1, in which said pocket comprises a front wall and a rear wall,one of said walls being integral with said statement of account.

10. In a bookkeeping device, the combination of elements set forth inpocket is suspended from the bottom of said statement of account andcomprises a front wall and a rear wall one of which walls is an integralextension of said statement of account.

11. In a bookkeeping device, the combination of elements set forth inclaim 1, in which said ledger page and statement of account areintegrally connected along their upper edges, and in which said pocketcomprises integral front and rear walls one of which is an integralportion of said statement of account.

12. In a bookkeeping device, the combination with the elements set forthin claim 1, of releasable means for temporarily securing the ledger pagenear its bottom edge to the statement of account.

13. In a bookkeeping device, the combination with the elements set forthin claim 1, of releasclaim 1, in which said arsenal able means fortemporarily securing the ledger page near its bottom edge to thestatement of account, said means also' engaging through an edge portionof said pocket and serving to retain said pocket closed along said edge.

14. A bookkeeping device comprising a pair of superposed sheets havingduplicating means therebetween, said pair of sheets being detachablyjoined together at one end thereof, one of said sheets havingdesignations thereon for constituting a ledger page, the other sheethaving designations thereon for constituting a statement of account,whereby entries made on the ledger page are duplicated on the statementof account, said statement sheet having the end thereof opposite saidjoined ends extended beyond the end of the ledger page and folded backupon itself forming a pocket, said pocket extending transversely of thestatement sheet with an open end adjacent a side edge -of said statementsheet and with the sides of said pocket substantially closed.

15. In a bookkeeping device, a sheet having designations thereon forconstituting a statement of account, said sheet having an end thereoffolded back upon itself forming a pocket at said end, said pocket beingelongated transversely of said sheet with the sides thereofsubstantially closed and having an open end adjacent a side edge of thesheet for receiving vouchers therein.

ALEXANDER EFRON.

